Four Short Flash Fiction Fantasy Stories

Let The Evening Of Mystery Begin

I like both fantasy and mystery genres and after some TV inspiration the ideas for these two characters resurfaced. I know flash fiction is a shorter genre, so it was perfect for four small stories about two characters who have been rattling around in my head for a while now. I did bend the rules a tad and give each character two flashes, but they are both neatly resolved in each case, no cliffhangers, though the reader may be left wondering what comes next.

I like the genre and hopefully I’m good at it. I’d actually enjoy switching over to writing flash fiction more often, but I will need my reader’s help to do it, so when you get a chance to give feedback below, please feel free to do so. I know it was a bit naughty to gie each character two flashes, but they are two distinct flashes, so I think I’m in the clear.

As always all writing and photography are my original work. And yes, I am recycling photos from the last few articles. The included video is only to get you into the mood for a good whodunit. If you own the copyright and want additional credit and links or something removed, please let me know.

Now on with our show!

Your Music For This Evening

The Letter

I’d gotten the letter instructing me to go to my grandmother’s house and was puzzled. It was in her handwriting, and dated from just a week ago, but she’d been gone for over a decade and the house had been locked up tight. Still it was a mystery to be solved so I got my keys and drove out to her house through the rainy night, wondering if it was just a fluke of the mail.

Inside I found all as it had been left. No one had broken in and as I shined my flashlight over covered furniture I wondered what had really brought me out there that night. There was a sound from the second floor and I made my way up slowly as it thumped, thumped, thumped through the house.

I got to the landing, the thumping growing louder and could see a flickering light coming from under the door at the end of the hall. Thump. Thump. Thump. The noise got louder as I slunk down the hallway to stand outside the door. I hesitated only a second then opened the door only to be blinded by the light.

“Hello, my dear.” Said a familiar voice and as my eyes adjusted I could make out a figure in grandmother’s favorite blue plaid dress, rocking contentedly in her chair. Only the figure was a skeleton, her long black hair long black hair piled in a neat bun on top of her head. I took one look at her and screamed.

The Case For A Female Detective

I’d been investigating dragons for months. Well, researching is more like it, but it felt like investigating as I tracked down rare books and obscure scrolls. I’d put word out I wanted to meet a dragon willing to work with me and the news had apparently reached the dragons themselves, as when I was walking back to my simple cottage one landed in front of me. She, I thought she was a she was green from her snout to the tip of her tail and she tilted her head at me curiously. “Are you a detective?” She asked.

“I- Uh, I just research things, why?” I asked.

Her wings sagged. “Well, I am, and I need a human partner to replace the old one.”

“What happened to the old one?” I asked warily.

“Mm, eaten. But not by me, I swear. And one fell into a pit of spikes and one was roasted alive, but you look plucky.” She said brightly. “And if you become my partner you can learn all you want to know about dragons.” She grinned, showing off huge, sharp teeth. “What do you say, shake on it?”

She extended a talon and seeing no other choice or chance to do research, I shook, wondering what I was getting myself into.

Action In The Attic

My grandmother had been back for months, and was now rummaging in a wardrobe in the old attic where she had, as she put it, put away the things from when her life had been fun. I watched her drag out a grey trenchcoat and fedora and a sharp black dress and heels. She went behind the dressing screen and dressed. “Oh, these heels will never work to hide my legs. Hand me those high boots will you?” She asked and I obediently did. “And my hat.” She insisted, snapping her skeletal fingers. I got it with a sigh.

“Grandma, this is a really bad idea. You can’t go back to being a detective. In the first place, I think we’d be sued.” I said and heard her snort in reply.

She at last stepped out, dressed smartly clearly all ready for a case and I had to admit she looked great. Her femme fatale looks from old photos hadn’t faded with her skin, and I whistled my appreciation and she donned her fedora. “Two words. Law and suit.” I said and she chuckled as she slipped her driving gloves on and rooting around for her old gun.

It fell out of the wardrobe and went off with a bang. I yelped and jumped back. “Best of all.” She said cheerfully. “You’re my new partner.”

Hanging by a Tail

I screeched and hung onto my partner’s tail for dear life. Emerald hadn’t been lying about all her old partners dying. She liked humans and hadn’t bumped them off, she was just an utter klutz and now we were hanging off the cliff she’d needed to investigate. “Found it!” She said happily and I watched her tease a scale out of a small crevice. She leaned farther away from the cliff to wave it at me. “This is what we call a clue.” She said. Then promptly said “Oops.” as she dropped it.

I watched it drop to the chasm below then screamed in terror as Emerald let go of the cliff to power dive after it, seeming to not notice I was still hanging onto her tail for dear life. She somehow caught it, and landed gently enough, but I wouldn’t let go of her tail, even after she’d set it on the ground. “Sweetie, you’re cutting off my circulation.” She said, giving her tail a gentle shake.

“I can’t let go.” I said and she simply slipped her tail from my grasp. “That’s it, no more being partners! You don’t even have to see me home, I’ll walk.” I said and she pouted at me as I staggered to my feet, angry now that the danger was over. “You could have killed me!” I said and she lowered her head. I walked away with a growl.

“Wait!” She called after me. “I want you to have the scale." I turned.

“But it’s a clue.”

“My first ever.” She admitted. “I’m not a very good detective. I’ve never solved a case yet. I only have this one because no other dragon cares to.”

“But the nesting pair who had that cliff are blue, so are the babies and that scale is iriedecent pearl.” I said and Emerald smiled excitedly.

“Exactly.”

Enjoyed The Stories? Want More?

Would you like to see more flashes for either lady detective?

Your Feedback Matters!

I seriously enjoy putting out fiction for my readers, but your feedback matters! Would you like to see more of either character? A short story perhaps? Another character like the Lord of Cats? Feedback really helps!

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